“I’m Licking My Chops”

March 11th, 2017

New Bucs defensive tackle Chris Baker talks opportunity & more.

Yes, Gerald McCoy haters, No. 93 has a beastly reputation across the NFL.

That was on display again today at One Buc Palace when the Bucs introduced the newest beast on the defense, 29-year-old tackle Chris Baker.

The 6-2, 320-pounder (330?) is happy to be here. First, he wanted to be a Buccaneer for a long time. He said the Bucs were the only team to bring him in for a visit before the 2009 draft. (He went undrafted.) Also, Warren Sapp is his favorite player.

But primarily, the Bucs’ allure is about McCoy, in addition to the $5 million and change Tampa Bay will drop in his lap this season.

“Being in a 4-3 man, I’ve always been in a 3-4 my whole career. Haven’t really played in a 4-3 since I left Penn State. Just an opportunity play with, you know, an elite defensive tackle. [Gerald]McCoy is very rare, he’s one of the best in the league,” Baker said.

“Never really had that opportunity to play with an elite defensive tackle. I’m licking my chops because it’s like, ‘Who are you guys going to pick to double,’ you know what I mean? It’s a great opportunity here, can’t wait to get to work with those guys and just get out there and dominate.”

Later, Joe will have more from Baker, who knows plenty about the Bucs’ defensive mentality through his close relationship with Robert Ayers. They were rookies together in Denver, and Baker said he and Ayers have remained tight through the years.

70 Responses to ““I’m Licking My Chops””

  1. tmaxcon Says:

    Rock Hudson had a beastly reputation as well. not sure the point your trying to make. impact plays matter reputation is a joke.

  2. Off the Cuff Says:

    Mario Williams anyone?
    He can be had on the cheap.

  3. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Tmaxipad the first commenter on an article about GMC.

    Shocking…

  4. Mike Evans GOAT Says:

    ^^^no to Mario. He’s way WASHED UP

  5. Chris Says:

    Watching a Football Life: Rodney Harrison. Somethimg tells me he and Mccoy wouldn’t have gitten along.

  6. Destinjohnny Says:

    If we took a corner at 1 with our d line??
    Man U would have issues going against that

  7. tmaxcon Says:

    blake

    feel free to shut me up with a list of plays that the superstar has made in the last 7 years. If he such a beast it should be an very easy task. All you have is an ankle grab on ryan and a tipped pass… When your girl stops disappearing when the bucs need a play the most I’ll get off of her. again, gmc fanboys are great with the name calling, and spouting off nonsense but never never can that rattle off important games when mccoy has stepped up and made a play. easily replaced and the lack of passion is disgusting.

  8. Kalind Says:

    0% they take another CB in round 1. The contract issues down the line are too big. They’re taking the best available weapon rd1 or Obi Melifonwu.

    Engram
    Cook
    Davis
    Ross
    Howard
    McCaffrey

    Williams and Fournette are guaranteed gone. It’ll be one of the list above.

  9. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Says:

    I bet Donovan Smith and him will be friends, since they both went to Penn State!
    We have gotten better already as a team, and the draft is still to come!
    I was listening to him on WDAE 620 AM, on my drive back from Punta Gorda today.
    Someone please tell WDAE that their 95.3 FM Signal really sucks, especially out here in Brandon.

  10. Steven007 Says:

    Hmm, let’s see here, an actual football player commenting about another football player and how he holds​ him in high regard. Hmm, whose opinion should I trust here… It’s just so hard! Not. Sorry mrs. maxi pad, this well-regarded player chose to come here Largely on the basis of who he will playing be playing right next to. And if you want to see a plethora of impact plays as you requested on another thread, many posters provided you with that information. End of story. Now change your pad.

  11. Big Marlon B Says:

    tmax gets his little 3 inch chubby when he sees McCoy’s name, because he now has an outlet for all of his frustration in life. what a miserable bastard.

  12. Big Marlon B Says:

    @ steven

    maxi is gonna get toxic shock syndrome if he doesn’t change that pad soon

  13. Patrick1luv Says:

    Kalind, I can agree with the weapons idea 💡

  14. Patrick1luv Says:

    GMC isn’t a horrible player. And I think he earns this check. What’s the problem?

  15. Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:

    He stated Warren Sapp was his all time fav football player. Couldn’t have been a better signing.

  16. BigHogHaynes Says:

    If you don’t make “impact plays” how do you get a reputation that abounds across the league? Baker & McCoy will do something special this season, and the secondary should benefit from this Dymanic Due, coming together will start in April and advance thru camp and in August there will hell to pay in the trenches, mr N Spence please have a quick recovery, your speed off the edge will put us in that Top Seven Overall Defense! Continue to Build A Wall!

  17. Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:

    He also said he’s very tight with Robert Ayers. Bighog you’re right. That’s why I can’t understand the Conte hate around here. When that front four is dominant those back end guys don’t have to be special. Just need to do they’re job.

  18. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAlNSTS6c-U

    Sacks are impact plays sir. Pass Rush Matters.

  19. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Not a Doubt in my mind you’ll see a butt load of Impact plays from GMC this year with a beast like Chris Baker playing next to him.

  20. Fred E. Buc Says:

    Yeppir, time to get fired up. Spence, McCoy, Baker, and Ayers, with McDonald, J. Smith, Ghoulston. That’s really seven starters right there. Would be great to get well into the season with all that depth too!

  21. Pit Says:

    Yup we finally have somebody to make up for GMC leaving the gap open and making our LB cover for it.

    With this guy maybe KA can finally blitz more because he won’t be trying to close the gap mr Huggy Bear left wide open

  22. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    So you’re knocking Gerald for doing what he’s paid to do? 3-techs job #1 is to penetrate the line and create disruption. Get outta here with that mularkey pit.

  23. Mojiska Says:

    So a sack in the 1st does not matter? I view every tfl, sack, hurry as an impact play. Imagine saying to evans “well your two tds against seattle weren’t impact plays because they came in the first quarter. You need to do that with the game on the line or you are a chump.”

  24. Ghostofschiano Says:

    At tmaxcon watch this very carefully. Take note of the red zone sacks and overcoming double teams to make a play.

    https://youtu.be/pAlNSTS6c-U

    Give credit wheree credit is due

  25. Ghostofschiano Says:

    Tmaxcon < Gerald Mccoy

  26. LargoBuc Says:

    Well if sacks only count on third down or in the fourth quarter, then I guess pretty much all of the “best” DT’s are frauds then, huh Tmax? Don’t you think that in those critical situations, the opposition is going to focus on our best pass rusher with double teams and chip blocks?
    Oh and we all know you would not refer to Mr McCoy as “she” face to face. You would be way too scared to take that whoopin.

  27. Louis Says:

    Watching Bakers film I noticed that he stands up the guard then reacts to the play..McCoy blasts through a crease to penetrate…the middle of our line is now stuffed, it will be tough to blast through the middle now. With our ends attacking from the sides the pressure will be fun to watch.. Kwon backs up the middle and reacts, Levonte backs up the weak side …talk about pessure on the qb and rbs now. The dbs have less pressure as the receivers don’t have time to let the play develop. Our lbs will add to the pressure….folks this potentially is a top 5 defense now. Mike Smith must be having wet dreams now

  28. Broy34 Says:

    Hey maxi pad hating on GMC cuz he doesn’t stop on people’s necks!? No freaking way. It’s the saddest thing ever that this guy continues to comment only about McCoy in a negative way even when articles have NOTHING to do with McCoy. Can we just get him blocked already. It ruins the comments for me

  29. Broy34 Says:

    “find me a list of 7 game winning plays McCoy has made” find me 7 game changing or winning plays anyone other than quarterbacks have made. Dude we have never had an offense or defense til last year. And what do u know he won two games at the end last year. 😂😂 I used to get irritated. Now that he’s shown his ignorance I find it entertaining

  30. Pit Says:

    Damn all this love and passion for Huggy Bear. We have been through the stats so many times when you bring up sacks and compare with other players across the league you guys say his job is not sacks. I bet most of you showed up in this site just the last two days right after the free agency.

  31. GETACLUE Says:

    He hasn’t had impact plays cause we have been perennial losers till last year

  32. Buc believer Says:

    Licking his chops while McCoy is tip toeing threw the tulips

  33. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Gmc is consistently one of the top pass rushing DT’s. Year in and year out. Those are the facts Pit. With a legit guy in the trenches with him, he should get favorable 1v1 matchups a lot more frequently.

  34. Reach87 Says:

    Reach87 Says:
    March 10th, 2017 at 11:43 am
    I do not think McCoy rates as a Hall of Famer. However it is easy to pick out a few game changing plays he made thru the years:

    10-0 Cowboys up in our red zone. Sack fumble on Romo, Bucs recover
    From an earlier post on GMC impact plays…
    10-7 cowboys up in our red zone. Sack fumble on Romo, Bucs recover
    10-0 Bucs up vs Skins w skins in red zone. Sack Griffin and hold to FG
    20-17 Bucs up on ATL w ATL on our 50, sack and punt
    0-0 vs NO , driving midfield. Tip Brees pass, Buc interception
    0-0 at Philly, driving midfield, sack and led to punt
    Unable the score, but i saw tape of a safety and separate strip sack vs Miami

    What I listed above does not include anything he did this past season.

    I assess these are game changing plays because they led to turnovers, points or stalled drives. You asked for 5. Above are 7 and I barely tried.

  35. Reach87 Says:

    This was the third time i recall someone giving you McCoy game changing plays.

  36. Mojiska Says:

    Here omega career stats and comparisons right now between geno Atkins, gmc, Aaron donald and suh. I grabbed career totals for passes defended, int’s, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, sacks, tds, safeties. I added them all up for a total to find a total of what I would deem an impact play. I then divided that by games played to find a play per game stat. Here it is.

    GMC
    19pd, 6ff, 4fr, 42sk, 94starts. 71 TIP @ .755 per game

    SUH
    1int, 26pd, 2ff, 2fr, 47sk, 1safety, 110 starts. 79 TIP @ .718 per game

    ATKINS
    6pd, 8ff, 2fr, 1td, 52sk, 1safety, 89 starts. 70 TIP @ .787 per game

    DONALD
    7pd, 4ff, 1fr, 28 sk, 58 starts. 40 TIP @ .833 per game

  37. Blake_bucsfan Says:

    Good work Mojiska. I doubt it will change the haters minds though.

    Haters gonna hate.

  38. gotbbucs Says:

    I don’t need stats to tell me that McCoy is a middle of the road DT on running downs. I have eyes and watch the games.
    Maybe it’s not all his fault. I want to see him rotated in and out alot more this year and I want him to see less 1st and 2nd down work. He is not good against the run. He is a nickel rusher. The resigning of Gholston and the Baker signing are an addmision of that by Licht.

  39. Ndog Says:

    McCoy is a average football player guys. It is what it is. When you completely vanish in 10-12 games a year that is nothing more than average. His ability is greatness however his effort level and desire to be great is average. Anyone that watchest every snap of this team can’t argue against that.

  40. JAB83 Says:

    This why I know your not a Tampa Bay fan if your always hating on GMC…

    MY SUGGESTION TO ALL IS TO IGNORE THE TROLLS IF THE JOEJOE’S continue to allow them!!!!
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KANTAaz4i3M

  41. Mojiska Says:

    @ndog- and anyone only watching highlights of other day tackles don’t know when or if they dissapear during games. I tend to go by what coaches and players in the nfl say based on players, and it seems as most guys have a whole lot of respect for him. I do know that our run d seems to get worse when he is out, but that’s all my opinion. The hardest thing about him, and I will freely admit this is that he is not a leader, norelco does he elevate the play of those around him. Withe that said, he is an above average dt and statistically ranks out asome right around top 5 in his position.

  42. JAB83 Says:

    SGMC Sounds and looks like this guy honestly… The only difference… The team around him!!!

    Real Bucs fans know the truth

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RbJj1bBMsH8

  43. JAB83 Says:

    That said… Prediction…

    GMC WILL TAKE DOWN THE DEFENSIVE POY AWARD THIS YEAR WITH THE HELP OF A SOLID TEAM AROUND HIM…

    Just like #99. Years to follow will include King David and King Kwon as POY award winners on D with JW winning it on offense…

    BETS ANYONE??? No troll bets will be taken…

  44. Rod Munch Says:

    If you don’t like McCoy and don’t think he’s one of the best football players on earth you really need to spend your Sundays mopping the floors of bathhouses with your tongue since you’re clearly wasting your time watching football since you know nothing about it.

  45. Mojiska Says:

    @rod. I can understand why people don’t like watching him play, he doesn’t have an attitude about him that he hates the other team. He doesn’t appear to have fire in his belly. But I think you can have little to no fire and still be a good player. Plenty of players have had good careers in the nfl without even enjoying the game.

  46. JAB83 Says:

    Oh yeah… GMC is like this Tampa icon as well…
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JnQeCkgjszU

  47. unbelievable Says:

    Hey tmax I see you posting the same complain everyday so here’s 5 plays from McCoy just from the last 2 seasons I can remember off the top of my head:

    2016 – SEA – 4th quarter solo sack as Seattle was driving into our zone, only down by 9 points.
    2016 – KC – Tipped pass on Conte interception to help seal win
    2016 – ATL Game 2 – strip sack, recovered by D. Smith.
    2016 – ATL Game 1 – Tipped pass on final play of game to seal win. Tipped pass and sack earlier in the game, and TFL.
    2015 – ATL – Ankle grab of Ryan to stop him from completing pass and sealed game win.

    Oh and I’m pretty sure he had 5 – 6 solo tackles in week 17 vs Carolina last year.

    Do these count? Or do I have to go to Google to find you more examples from the last year or 2?

  48. JAB83 Says:

    Dumb ass people will always be… DO YOUR BEST NOT TO BE ONE BUCS FAN…

  49. SB Says:

    Tmax ….. You have done a wonderful job of turning yourself for me once respected poster into a complete and total idiot

  50. SB Says:

    *from a*

  51. DB55 Says:

    Mojiska

    I like how you left out tackles, I would too. The variance would embarrass me.

  52. SB Says:

    I am thinking that once GMC hit tmax’s wife he ruined it for tmax forever. Hence tmax .

  53. Rod Munch Says:

    Mojiska – People that think players who jump and up and down after every play are the only ones that care are just dolts, to say the least. McCoy is a player that other teams gameplan for, that should tell any real football fan everything they need to know. Mix that with the pure numbers, the fact he’s one of the top pass rushing interior linemen in all of the game, he’s well respected by his peers, people that criticise McCoy have to be incredibly dumb to think he’s not any good and thus they should just give up watching football as it goes over their head. I loved Warren Sapp, he’s my favorite player ever because he talked trashed and said if you’re going to cut me you had better keep your head on a swivel because you will get yours. I loved the fact he talked the entire game and never shut-up and didn’t want a bunch of slobs fans bothering them while he ate dinner, he was, and still is, awesome. At the same time had Sapp just been the best DT in football I’d have still liked him, even if he was helping people up off the ground. These dolts that think McCoy isn’t any good because he’s a nice guy, they’re just not very smart and they should do the world a favor and go jump off the Skyway.

  54. Dougyballs Says:

    Blake. Love the way you used my tmaxipad. Keep it up. The looser deserves it

  55. JAB83 Says:

    SB… LOL

  56. Bucsfan951 Says:

    I’m a firm believer that McCoy smashed tmaxipads ex wife (you really think he’s marred?) and this is why there is so much hate there.

  57. JAB83 Says:

    Come on really… I post from my phone and job… Never used a different handle and never said nothing truly bad…

    And all my stuff is moderated???

    Please get this fixed before the season Joes… FYI… I am switching jobs and will have a new IP soon… Same handle…

    Cant beat the trolls if I cant be seen…

  58. gotbbucs Says:

    “one of the best football players on earth”

    Holy sh!t….and you’re criticizing other people’s football knowledge?

  59. BigHogHaynes Says:

    I would have never thought that could happen ^^^

  60. firethecannons Says:

    reach and others are right, what the hell is wrong with tmaxipad and others, obvious to anyone watching Bucs that McCoy is a dominant player, go fock with some other team’s players

  61. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    DB55 loves to talk about tackles from a 3 technique. That’s his big play. He also still believes Mike Smith’s defense is designed for the LB’s to eat up blockers for the D-Linemen, lol. That statement alone tells you about his football knowledge (as does him talking about tackles from a 3 technique).

  62. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    Warren Sapp averaged 2.2 tackles per game. McCoy averages 1.8. So Sapp had an average of less than a half tackle per game than the best player to ever play at the position. Neither had big tackle numbers because IT DOESN’T FREAKING MATTER HOW MANY TACKLES A 3 TECHNIQUE HAS!!!!!!!!!

  63. Mojiska Says:

    @DB. to me tackles are not an impact play. I could not find a TFL stat, that would have been included. If you can find one for them, post the numbers and I would be happy to adjust accordingly. But to put tackles in the equation would not classify as impact plays and that is the whole argument. Remember the great barrett rudd, tackling machine?

  64. Mojiska Says:

    In the top I’ve also posted win % since he has been drafted in games he plays and win % in games he doesnt. It was fairly significant I want to say it came out to just over 1 games worth per season. That to me is pretty interesting, that we have like an 8% better chance of winning with him in the lineup.

  65. Rod Munch Says:

    Yes dolts… if you’re one of the top players at any position in football it means you’re one of the best football players on earth. You know assuming you’re not some Eurotrash piece of garbage that thinks soccer is football – although that would go a long way towards explaining why you know nothing about football.

  66. Rod Munch Says:

    You GMC haters need to do the world a favor and all take a group trip to Africa and get ebola, you’re too big of a waste to deserve to live. Seriously, please go, maybe we can get a kickstarter going since I know you’re too poor to pay for tickets considering your IQ and all.

  67. Stpetebucsfan Says:

    Tmax

    You are a victim of stinkin thinkin. It’s not OUR job to fill in YOUR ignorance. We do not have to list the impact plays that GMC has made over the years. I can think of a few immediately including a game saver at Carolina…I could do the research and rummage through every freakin’ game play by play sheet and point them out for you! Why should we correct YOUR ignorance.

    It’s on YOU not us to point out why EVERY freaking player…every GM…every coach in the NFL has a TOTALLY different opinion than you. Do you REALLY expect us to believe a blogger over EVERY NFL type who actually knows something.

    We get it. You like like jerks for players and decent human beings offend you for some reason. You seem to believe that players like Merlin Olson or Reggie White couldn’t have really been legendary defensive linemen because like GMC they were NICE GUYS!!!

    Why don’t you take that weak stuff out of here. Asking other posters to fill in for your ignorance doesn’t mean squat. Just because YOU can’t see the impact plays GMC makes doesn’t mean he hasn’t made a bunch.

    Just because you value horrible personalities doesn’t make him a bad player. And just because you can’t see the impact plays other defenders made because GMC had tied up two OL doesn’t mean he didn’t make impact plays.

    The ONUS is on you not us. YOU telll us why every GM…Coach…virtually every player holds GMC in high regard? Oh let me answer it….because he buys them ice cream!!! Yeah that’s the ticket.

  68. Ghostofschiano Says:

    Tmaxcon loves GMC

  69. Xandtar Says:

    This time of year, when the Free Agents sit down with their agents and their families and muddle job offers, this is the time we know what the rest of the league thinks of us. The reason the Brownies have so much money they have to trade some of it away to avoid the cap floor is that very few free agents will even consider playing there, if they have nearly equivalent offers from other teams that might actually make the playoffs during their time there.

    That was us, not too long ago, unless we pulled out extra fat wallets, very few free agents would take a chance on us.

    Now thanks in part to people with good REPUTATIONS Tmax, we have the right combination of money in hand and decent prospects of playoff time to be able to lure top-tier free agents, and the middle group will eventually come our way too.

    I’d love it if McCoy’s numbers next season played up to his promise as a draftee. If this latest signing and a somewhat less porous secondary give him fewer double teams and a bit more time to shake his blocks, maybe he’ll finally give us the numbers that would make all you 93 haters happily shut up. As for me, I just want us to win, and win lots, I don’t care which player gets the pro bowl berth along the way. I’d love it if our overall D-Line play were so good this season someone gave the line a name (and no not “The Real McCoys”).

    At the end of the day, it’s about scoreboard, at the end of the season, team record, at the end of the playoffs, Lombardi or lack thereof. All other focus on individual stats is for free agency and fantasy football.

  70. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @StPete ,

    That was seriously the post of the century! I am giving you a standing ovation at my computer. Well said.